Beijing's iconic Chang'an Avenue to sport Chinese elements

Newly designed bus station. [Photo from web]

Chang'an Avenue, a major and iconic thoroughfare in Beijing, is undergoing a facelift that involves adding Chinese elements to the street, reported Beijing Youth Daily on Monday.

Chang'an Avenue is an east to west 10-lane road where some of the most iconic landmarks, such as Tian'anmen Square, the Forbidden City and the leadership compound of Zhongnanhai, are located.

The main section of Chang'an Avenue starts from Gongzhufen to Guomao, which is within the 3rd Ring. The avenue including its extension runs for 55 km in total.

The infrastructure on the avenue will be replaced by new ones with traditional Chinese elements such as lotus and auspicious clouds, said Beijing Municipal Commission of City Administration and Environment.

The lotus and auspicious clouds are among many items Chinese used to do patterns in hope for good luck and best wishes.

The main parts that will be upgraded include bus stations, manhole covers, pedestrian walk and the facade of the buildings along the road.

The new bus stations will be in beige and bronze, made by stainless steel as the steel tube are the three times thick than the old ones.

It is said that the tube can withstand the impact of a car traveling at 50 km per hour.

The electronic station board will tell time and how many stops are left when a bus approaches.

Small details like manhole will also be re-designed.

According to Xu Congyi, the architect of Beijing Institute of Architectural Design, the pattern on the manhole is taken from the pattern on the stairs of the main temples in Forbidden City.

The whole project will be completed this year, said the commission.

Yan Jianfeng, department chief of the city commission, said some newly designed models of city infrastructures such as guardrails, station board, bus station, substations and manhole lids have been approved.

The litter bins and postboxes will been replaced by new ones within this year.

The overpasses in Dongdan will be upgraded to echo the style of the overpass in Xidan, adding a barrier-free path.

The remolding of the external walls of 11 buildings along the avenue has been ongoing. This task will be completed next year.

The design pattern on the manhole. [Photo from web]